Navy Recommends Razing of Former Base’s Historic Buildings

In a major defeat for preservationists and environmentalists, the U.S. Navy on Tuesday recommended a plan for its abandoned Long Beach Naval Station that would demolish the historic buildings that housed the Pacific Fleet’s headquarters before World War II.

The Navy’s decision, which was laid out in a 33-page report, effectively clears the way for the Long Beach Harbor Commission to proceed with its controversial plan to build cargo terminals and a ship repair facility on the 500-acre base.

After more than two years of dispute, port commissioners were set to give their final approval to the project Tuesday afternoon, but postponed their decision until next week because they did not receive the Navy’s recommendations in time for their regular commission meeting.

According to the tersely worded report, the Navy supports the port’s original plans because they are consistent with the federal government’s goal of creating jobs and promoting economic development of closed military bases. Proponents of the port proposal estimate that the new facility would create more than 3,000 jobs.

Harbor officials declined to comment on the Navy’s report because they said they have not had time to study it. Carmen O. Perez, president of the Harbor Commission, said only: “We are thrilled to have this decision.”

Preservationists and environmentalists, who attended the Harbor Commission meeting to make one last push to save part of the Navy base, were all but conceding defeat Tuesday afternoon.

“I’m disappointed but I am not surprised by the Navy’s decision. This was a foregone conclusion,” said Nancy Latimer of Long Beach Heritage, a preservationist group that sued the port over its plans to develop the abandoned Navy base.

Long Beach Heritage, veterans organizations and environmentalists were interested in saving a 37-acre campus on the base that served as the Pacific Fleet’s headquarters shortly before World War II.

A number of international-style buildings on the site were designed by prominent African American architect Paul Williams. The base is also eligible for listing in the National Registry of Historic Places, the only Long Beach landmark with that distinction.

In an attempt to force the port to consider alternative uses of the base, Long Beach Heritage sued the port in late 1996, alleging that the port had violated state and federal laws regulating environmental impact reports for proposed projects.

Long Beach Heritage prevailed in Superior Court, but dropped out of the lawsuit after reaching an out-of-court agreement with the port. In exchange for the group’s departure from the case, the port agreed to set up a $4.5-million trust fund to preserve other historic buildings in Long Beach.

After Long Beach Heritage dropped out of the case, a state appeals court found that the port had not violated the California Environmental Quality Act and overturned the lower court ruling.

On Tuesday, Latimer told the port commission that preserving a small parcel of historic buildings was a small price to pay for the ability to develop the rest of the base as a cargo facility.

She said the port will only lose two ship berths and 37 acres of terminal space if the buildings are saved. Meanwhile, she added, bird habitat would be preserved as well as the Navy’s history in Long Beach. “This could be a win-win situation,” Latimer said.